When I first encountered South German wheat beers, in the early to mid 1960s, they were regarded as an old-fashioned, rustic style, favoured by old ladies with large hats. The beer was at that time customarily garnished with a slice of lemon.

People have told me the lemon was to mask the taste of the uneven products made at that time by unscientific country brewers; I do not believe that. Some of the wilder wheat beers might taste odd to the uninitiated, but not to people who grew up with them.

I have also heard it said that the lemon reduced the foam to manageable proportions, but why would anyone want to flatten a naturally sparkling drink?

I believe the lemon accentuated the tart, refreshing character of the beer, and I am sorry that it is so rarely seen in Germany today.

Apparently the green movement is worried that the rind may carry pesticides; a new generation of beer purists dislike the lemon; and it does not go so well with the heavily sedimented style currently favoured.

In the Realbeer.com offices we prefer not to partake of lemon before noon, and since German wheat beers are the perfect breakfast drink long ago became accustomed to enjoying them sans lemon.

Share and Enjoy:

This entry was posted
on Friday, June 2nd, 2006 at 7:41 am and is filed under Beer culture, Beers.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.